Long Forgotten Feelings
by Fomalhaut
Summary: FINISHED! What happened in the end to Shaula and Wilt? And what about Sheila and Terrence?
1. Meeting at the junkyard

**So this is the 3rd and last part of my trilogy. Please don't exit now, you don't have to read what happened before, for here goes it all, shortly. Please wait and give it a try! Who have read the other 2 stories, can skip and go straight to what happens _now_. Don't worry, please, I think this is my best Foster's story so far, so R&R, please! - Sofia**

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_**And ahem, the poor English in the poem is not my fault - Terrence had written it, remember?

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**

_A weird girl named Shaula went to Foster's and adopted Wilt. Back at her home, Wilt met Sheila, who looked exactly like his new owner, but they weren't twin sisters… as it turned out, Shaula was really Shaula t. J. F. (the Joyful Fairy), Sheila's imaginary friend. When Sheila was 11, bullies kept on tormenting her for liking fairies, and when Shaula told them off, it went even worse. So Sheila, who hardly survived this humiliation (just imaginae: a fairy that looks like you telling some strong guys to stop bullying you…) tried her fighting skills out on the poor fairy, breaking her wings (so now she's unable to fly) and making her feelers hang for they cannot feel anything any more (she used to sense even thoughts and feelings). Wilt took Shaula at Foster's, but she's unhappy; despite what she had done to her, she still wants Sheila back. _

_Sheila, at her new school, meets a new bullying jerk, but beats him up in 2 minutes… guess what his name is… yeah, you're right… TERRENCE! Due to this, he falls in love completely, absolutely and totally with the girl, and even cleans up his room, brushes his teeth, washes his hair and uses lots of deodorant just to impress her. After receiving the first kiss from her, he's sure she loves him too. Sheila still detests Shaula for telling off the bullies and is sure Wilt is the fairy's boyfriend (he's not…), and now she has got an evil idea, and sends a letter to Terrence saying „Meet me at the junkyard tomorrow at 3:00 PM. Don't you dare being late! – Sheila" And Terrence, watchin The Loved and The Loveless, got the idea of dedicating her a poem._

_Meanwhile, Mac is getting more and more worried for his brother, as he doesn't understand what's behind his unusual kindness and strange behavior…_

**Chapter 1**

Terrence arrived at the junkyard a couple of seconds before 3:00.

- Finally – she heard Sheila's voice from behind him – Terrence!  
- Sheila… - he stammered.  
- Finally! – she ran a hand through her, now loose, dark brown hair as she took off her black baseball cap – I was afraid you were going to call me Shirley, Shelby or Shawna. I guess you have learnt my name well finally.  
He gulped. He had to give it to her.  
- Here… - he whispered as he handed her the folded paper.  
_It was his poem he'd written to her._  
- Uh? – she said as she unfolded it.  
Terrence began sweating and turning now dark red, now pale white as she started reading…

**_Sheila my deer_ **

_You loook as a goddes_

_You make my heart beet fast_

_I feal the luve inside_

_Wen you loook in to my ayes_

_Its beauttiful you spend tyme with me_

_Cause youre the luveliest gurl I seee_

_You and I can bee togethar_

_Thet mekes me feal so much beter_

_And youre the une of my dreems_

_Be wit me, Sheila my deer!_

_- wit luve, Terrence_

Her eyebrow made weird movements and the corner of her eye twitched as she read through it.  
- Euh… that's very… nice… Terrence. Really… nice. Nice.  
He went crimson red. _Oh! She liked it! She did!_  
- Let me show you how much… - and she pulled him in for a kiss.  
Then she had to wait to unfold her plan, for he had fainted.

Next day

In the afternoon, as usual, Shaula stood at the window.  
- What are you waiting for? – asked Wilt.  
- Sheila.  
- Oh, Shaula, I'm sorry, but…  
Suddenly he could see her freeze. Then she began trembling. Then she turned aorund and pushed him out of her way with such a strenght that he crashed against the wall…

Shaula got downstairs the exact moment the bell rang and Frankie opened.

_There she was… the Sheila she used to know. Her dark brown hair let loose, with a small pink ribbon. And she was wearing a smart purple shirt and a light blue skirt._

- Sheila! Sheila! Sheila! _Sheila!_  
Shaula ran to her and hugged her, crying.  
- Oh, Shaula… - she said.  
The heart painted on the chest of the fairy's light blue dress began to shine of an intense pink colour.

- Sheila… - she panted finally, wiping her tears of joy. Are you…?  
- Yes – she nodded – I regret everything now. Please… come home with me.  
- You mean that…?  
- Shaula – Sheila took her hands – I'm sorry, but Mom said that a 14-year-old girl does not play with fairies, so I can't keep you there. But, please, I'd be glad if you could spend a short time with me at home, as long as she's at work. Maybe we can do it again, who knows?

Soon they got Mr. Herriman's permission and walked home hand in hand.

As they disappeared behind the corner, Wilt looked after them and just couldn't shake off an unpleasant feeling.

Evening

The first stars had appeared on the sky when Shaula returned.  
- I had a great time – she smiled – and look! Sheila helped me a bit, my wings!  
Some stitches could be taken off, though she was still unable to fly.

Sheila's home

- We did it, Terrence, we did it! – laughed Sheila evilly.

Terrence just smiled, lost in a dreamland. He managed to help her. _She loved him…_

Could he desire anything more…?


	2. Awkward

**Now it should be easier to follow. More mysteries ahead!

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**

Night came. Around midnight, as the first moonbeams silently entered a room at Foster's home, Shaula's eyes opened. Then she sneaked out of her bed and crept near to Wilt. She watched him sleep for a long time. _Is this…? Is it him…? Wilt…?_  
Then she slowly nodded and went back to sleep.

Next day, Terrence caught up with Sheila on the way to school.  
„Sheila!" he panted „I…"  
She looked at him awaitingly, carefully moving away to avoid him trying to take her hand.  
„Everything is going fine" he said in the end.  
„Thanks" she said speeding up „I think it'd be embarrassing if we entered the classroom together, remember: what we have is private!" _What **you** are feeling, boy…_

Wilt just couldn't deal with Shaula that day. Okay, she made peace with Sheila, which was fine, and she was happy about that, whcih was understandable and okay, but her behavior changed a bit too much. For instance, she kept on hugging him and hanging around him all day, as if she had suddenly fallen in love with him… her actions reminded him of Berry chasing Bloo. Another thing was that she didn't seem at all disturbed any more by the fact that her wings were broken and her feelers hanging; no, she acted as if she couldn't care less about them, while just two days before they used to be her life's tragedies.

It was luchtime, and Shaula sat next to Wilt as usual. But now, after she had finished, she laid her head agains her shoulder and sighed.  
„Are you okay?" he asked, a bit surprised.  
„Couldn't feel better…" she flickered her eyelids.

After lunch, Wilt laid on the sofa in the currently empty tea-room to rest a bit. Soon Shaula appeared at the door.  
„Can I come?"  
„Of course" replied Wilt.  
Shaula walked to him and, as if it was completely natural, laid over him on the sofa.  
„Shaula… I'm sorry, but…" he began to feel really awkward.  
„C'mon, Wilt…" she caressed his face and laid her head on his chest.  
„But Shaula…"  
Shen just moaned and wrapped her arms around him.  
„Wilt…" she sighed dreamily and closed her eyes.

If Wilt wasn't such a kind person, then he would have certainly stood up and demand explanations, or at least go somewhat angry. Now he just lay there, legs spread wide, with Shaula lying over him with a blissful smile on her face.

But now he was sure that something wasn't okay around Sheila's sudden comeback. The joy she must have felt wasn'tm enough to explain _this_. The Shaula he used to know was kind, careful and a little shy, unlike the one that was now trying everything to seduce him and acting as if they've been together for quite a long time.

In the afternoon, Sheila arrived, now wearing her usual brown pants and black T-shirt with „KOOL" written in red on it, and her dark baseball cap turned backwards. Strangely, Shaula didn't seem to care at all about this, which contrasted with what she had told to Wilt some days before.  
„Sorry, Shaula" said Sheila „but now Mom's at home, we might just go for a walk, is that okay?"  
„Sure" the fairy replied.

As they've turned over the corner, Sheila gazed into Shaula's eyes.  
„It's all going fine" said Shaula „though Wilt…"  
„Be careful with him" whispered Sheila „but try not to make it last too long. For now, Terrence is doing his job fine, but I don't know for how long he can take it…"

Shaula's eyes glew red for a second as she nodded...


	3. Dirty games

**Much more mystery and nasty stuff ahead, enjoy!

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**

1 week later

The week went past quickly, and Shaula seemed to go back to normal. One afternoon they were left alone, she apologized to Wilt and there was peace once again between them. In a couple of days, Wilt began to feel again that Shaula was trustworthy. And he remembered a decision he had made.  
He had to tell Shaula. In the end, she had told him everything… Sheila using her as a living target to practice her fighting skills on… breaking her wings…  
And all the times she had stared so intensely at him, trying to hide her interrogative looks to his missing arm, wonky eye and stitched face…  
He had to tell her. He had to get rid of this secret. _No one will know._ No one… only Shaula. Wilt knew she could keep secrets.

Sheila came back to visit Shaula and they once again went for a walk.  
„Shaula… how is it going?"  
Shaula's eyes started glowing red.  
„I think I'll get over it very soon."  
„Move on, then" replied Sheila „I'll be back tomorrow. Hope I'll see some results. You know, we can't keep Terrence doing this forever!"  
Shaula grinned evilly… like no one had ever seen her before.  
„You will, Sheila… you will."

Shaula and Wilt were sitting in the tea-room. Just the two of them.Shaula poured some tea in Wilt's cup, then smiled at him.  
Wilt sighed as he took a sip of his tea.  
„Shaula?"  
„Yes?" her bright black eyes looked up at him.  
Wilt looked around suspiciously, then stood up and peered out on the corridor before closing the door.  
„Shaula…" he began.  
„Wilt!" she looked sincerely surprised „what are you doing?"  
„Remember?" he asked, touching his stubby arm „I said long ago that one day maybe I would tell you."  
„Wilt! Oh, Wilt! Are you sure?"  
Wilt looked down, then nodded.  
„Yes. I have to get it off my chest. Shaula?"  
„Wilt?"  
„Promise me… promise me you won't tell anyone. _Not anyone. Not Sheila, not Bloo, not Mr. Herriman, NO ONE AT ALL._"  
„I promise."  
Wilt sat closer to her, and, very silently, began his story.

Terrence's home

Sheila entered his room quietly.  
„Is it going fine?"  
„Perfectly."  
Sheila took a quick look at what she wanted to see, then hugged Terrence.  
„Fine… great. You're just doing… great."

That night, at Foster's

Night fell. Wilt slept with a shy smile. It wouldn't come back in his nightmares. He got it off…  
Did he?

The worst was yet to come…

Shaula's eyes suddenly opened, glowing red. She grinned as she got off the bed and looked at Wilt.  
_Poor, poor stupid boy… it will be not ME to tell the whole world… _

Then she sneaked out on the corridor and down the stairs, until she arrived to the headquarters of _Bloo's Foster's Gazzette._  
She took a peek at next day's headline story, _Bloo builds time machine and goes to year 467358_.

She took it off. Fortunately, it wasn't yet printed, so she could still write in it.  
Stupid headline. What about… maybe…

Her eyes suddenly glew red such intensely that for a second they lit up the entire room. They kept on shining of the same colour as she rewrote it all…

**SPECIAL EDITION: WILT UNCOVERS SECRET OF HIS PAST! by Bloo

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R&R please! Why do I have so few readers? It's makin' me sad... :'-(  
**


	4. Trapped

**Okay no more teasing about what has happened to Shaula - but more in other ways! - (evil) Sofia

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**

_**- Flashback -**_

The day Sheila had taken Shaula home. That was when it all had begun  
The two walked happily on the street. At least, Shaula was over the moon. Oh, if only she could use her feelers! She would have surely felt what Sheila was up to… Her hidden nasty smile was already suggesting it…

Once home, Sheila led her to her room and took out a drawing. _A drawing of Shaula t.J.F._.  
„Remember how many times I have drawn you after I thought you up?" she asked.  
„Yes" replied Shaula, smiling brightly, the heart on her chest still glowing pink.  
„I drew this in your abscence, anyway… I didn't remember you well."  
„Let me see" Shaula leant over the paper „yeah… I'm missing my medal, and… well, I used to look like this before…" she looked a bit sadly at her broken wings and touched her hanging feelers.  
„Yeah, the medal, with the **S** letter. I made it for you after you were created, remember?" said Sheila „oh, and Shaula! I'm afraid I've lost my old pics of you, on which I drew how you should act sometimes."  
„Ah, you mean _joyful, cheery, smiley, careful, gentle_?"  
„That's what I was looking for" and Sheila writ the words down beside the fairy's picture.  
Shaula didn't notice, as she was dreamily looking at the ceiling. Yeah, she remembered the picture. There were only these five words beside.  
There was silence for a second.  
„Shouldn't I correct this picture now? Maybe with those stitched wings and broken feelers…"  
„Sheila!" Shaula began to feel something wasn't right „but why? You remember me like that, and I'm sure I could go back to that…"  
„I know it as well. But now, I need this drawing to look like you _now_. To have you perfectly in my mind."  
Shaula made a couple of steps back.  
„W-what do you mean, Sheila?"  
„NOW, TERRENCE! HOLD HER TIGHT!"  
The boy suddenly jumped out from behind the door and grabbed Shaula from behind.  
„Let me go! Sheila! What does this mean? What do you want? SHEILA!" Shaula struggled as Terrence held her blocking her arms.  
She didn't answer, just took out an eraser and began correcting the drawing.  
„Hmm… two stitches on the right upper wing… one on the lower left… left feeler hanging a bit more than the right one…"  
Then she started colouring it.  
„Light blue dress… shiny wings… feelers with yellow pompon… pink heart on the chest… white socks, red trainers…"  
„Sheila! What are you doing? Why? What's going on?"  
„Shut up!" said Terrence.  
„_You_ shut up, Terrence!" Sheila threw him a killer look „I can't concentrate if you start arguing now!"  
And, beside the characteristics, she added: _Does what Shaula t. J. F. would, knows her. But, when she knows there's a good occasion to cause tension without making others suspicious, never lets it go. Obeys her creator, Sheila._  
„Ooh, I think I had an idea" she took out a red pencil and slightly recoloured Shaula's eyes „hmm. Glowing only when the time's right"  
It dawned on Shaula.  
„NO! SHEILA! NO! But… you can't change me now, I'm not yours any more! And even if I was, you couldn't change me far after I was created!"  
„Silly little fairy, that's not what I want! Oh, I almost forgot!"  
And with this she walked to her and tore her medal off her neck.  
She then walked back and put her hand on the drawing.  
„I wish you were real…"

_**- Now -**_

Shaula just stared at the darkness, locked inside Terrence's wardrobe. She knew why Sheila insisted on keeping her there – for her creator's mother used to tidy up her room quite often.  
She laid her head against the wooden wall, silently weeping. Wrists bleeding, tied up. Just that it was worse now. Who knows what her alter-ego was doing meanwhile?

It was late afternoon when suddenly the door of the wardrobe opened. Sheila and Terrence were standing there.  
„What do you want?" she asked, staring in front of herself. Nothing good, she was sure.  
„Look" Sheila grinned and handed her some kind of newspaper. She recognized _Bloo's Foster's Gazzette_.  
She quickly read a couple of lines and…  
„NO! WILT! SHEILA! HOW COULD YOU…"  
„It was not me, it was _you_" Sheila answered calmly „ and I don't think you will ever see your _boyfriend_ again…"  
„WILT IS _NOT_ MY BOYFRIEND! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU!" Shaula burst into tears, then whispered something she used to think she'd never say.  
„Sheila… _I hate you_."

As long as she was her only target, she could understand. But Wilt and Foster's home… especially Wilt, who used to be always so gentle… oh, why…?

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**Hope this solution was not too crappy. More coming up! R&R, and thanks to all you who did!**  



	5. Wilt's story

**Okay have posted this one also as a one-shot. This is long - have patience, please!

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**

„Wilt! Wilt!" Frankie ran to him holding the new edition of _Bloo's Foster's Gazette_ „is this all true?"  
Wilt had no idea at all of what she was talking about, but an unpleasant feeling came over him while he searched for his reading glasses, as many other friends began to gather around him, all with the newspaper in hand, and trying to shout louder than each other to get Wilt answer their question first.  
He finally managed to put on his glasses, and took the news away from Frankie.  
His eyes widened. Then his crimson red skin became paler, until he turned almost pink. He made a few steps back, and was clear he found it hard to stand on his feet. Unfortunately, some smaller imaginary friends were just behind him. He fell backwards, still staring at the written lines. The shouting, the questions… he heard it all as if it was coming from far away. The article… the headline… it was nothing but the truth. No thought-up details added, not too much drama, nothing. Just the truth.  
_Wilt? Really? Is this what happened? Oh, my God! Wilt! Tell us more, please! Wilt! Wilt! WILT…!_  
It hurt him… it all just hurt him so bad… he came to Foster's 15 years before, and had never, never told any one about it. Yes, it was terrible, but that wasn't the main reason. It was his secret. He had decided that no one else needed to know anything about his past life. He was Wilt, was missing one arm, had a wonky eye and stitches on his face, that's all. Nothing more to say. Now that everyone knew, will they treat him like someone to feel sorry for? Somebody to take care of. No, no, no… And now… he got to the end of the text… _by Bloo_? No, it couldn't have been Bloo. It was all too natural, and plainly telling just the truth.

_**SHAULA…!**_

He couldn't believe it…  
No time left. No time to check. He made his way through the crowd, and ran as fast as he could. He quickly took two things out of his small cupboard, and ran down the stairs. Crowd gathering around him. Questions echoing in his head. He ran, and slammed the door. By the time Frankie got out and shouted his name, he was nowhere to be seen.

_Perfect… all as it was planned…_  
Shaula stared out of the window with eyes glowing red.

Afternoon

Mac arrived to Foster's, and was shocked at the sight of Coco arguing with Bloo, Eduardo crying, and Wilt nowhere to be seen.  
„Where's Wilt? What's going on, guys?" he asked.  
Coco just showed him the newspaper.

Mac said goodbye a minute after reading it. How could Bloo do this to a true friend just to get some attention? He needed to think it over.

Night

Shaula knocked on Frankie's door, holding her pillow.  
„May I sleep here…?"  
„Shaula! Yes… of course…" Frankie let her in completely indifferently. She was still dressed. Wilt hadn't come back yet. She began to get seriously worried about him.

As Shaula quietly drifted into sleep, Frankie slowly shook her head. The fairy seemed so close to Wilt… how could she act as if nothing had happened now?

The reason Shaula went to sleep with Frankie was that in her room there was no silence for a second. Eduardo was crying, while Coco kept on blaming Bloo, and he couldn't stop shouting he had nothing to do with the headline about Wilt.

Even in other rooms there was no peace. Everyone knew and loved Wilt. Many friends tossed and turned in bed all night, and others who couldn't sleep and found nothing better to do, argued with each other. (Apart from Duchess, of course, who slept quietly.)

The tension was getting unbearable.

A narrow, dirty dead end

Wilt curled up behind a huge trash containter, which probably never used to be emptied. As little rain began to fall silently, he pulled closer to the wall and took a paper box to protect himself as well, but mainly his two „treasures". He never showed them to the other friends. They contained part of his past. One was a little basketball-shaped keyring, and the other a short handwritten story, clipped together as a small novel. It was about 30 pages long.

With the rain, the cold and the night coming upon him, Wilt closed his eyes and fell in a disturbed sleep with tears shining in his eyes. He dreamt it all back…

_**- Wilt's story -**_

All little Kevin desired was to become a great basketball player. Somebody like Magic Johnson, or maybe his favourite, Wilt Chamberlain. But he lived far from the sports centre, and though his rich parents have built him a fine little basketball court, and when he showed talent, even employed a personal trainer – he was still sad. Going to a private school, have no real friends… he passed the lonely afternoons throwing at the hoop, wishing there was someone he could play with. One evening he sighed heavily looking at the posters of famous basketball players on his wall.  
„I wish I had a friend like one of you… someone who was _made_ to play basketball."  
Little did he know this was just the right way to create an imaginary friend – but when he realized what he had just done, he was simply over the moon.

From then on, after the lessons with his trainer, he spent the remaining afternoon hours with his tall, red imaginary friend, Wilt. The yoften played matches against each other, and Kevin just kept on improving. But young boys with such talent rarely remain unknown.

_I will never leave you_, he had said to Wilt several times. And the imaginary friendf loved his creator truly, and has grown very attached to him. He believed he would certainly die without him.

Kevin was chosen by a great basketball team as the new player they needed. But the team was of an another city, another State, so his parents decided to move. Kevin was 19 then, and still loved Wilt – he knew that without him, he wouldn't have reached his goal.  
But his parents said he would have to let him go – he was definitely too old for an imaginary friend, and his team would move so often: living with the other players, staying at hotels: he would have looked ridiculous taking Wilt along always.  
„Wilt, this hurts me more than it hurts you." Said Kevin, tears in his eyes.  
Wilt nodded, weeping as well.  
„Where should I go now?" he asked in the end.  
But Kevin had no idea. He burst into tears and hugged his imaginary friend. _A last hug. _

After Kevin's departure, Wilt lived on the streets for a few weeks. He still had both good eyes, both his arms and had no stitches on his face.

One day he passed beside a basketball field, he noticed a gang of boys playing. He preferred to remain hidden and watch them for a while, as they seemed of a type nor him or Kevin used to like – the aggressive bullies. Suddenly one of them accidentally threw the ball too hard, his mate missed it, so it flew right over to where Wilt was standing.  
He couldn't miss this opportunity.  
„Whoa!" he picked the ball up and threw a spectacular hoop „hey guys, maybe we can train together, shall we? I can teach you a little, if you like."

The first atonishment on the boys' face soon turned into anger.  
„WHO ASKED YOUR OPINION, DUDE? AND WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU, BY THE WAY?"  
„Wait, I…" Wilt began to back away.  
„GIVE OUR BALL BACK!"  
Wilt didn't even have time to understand what was going on then the boys were already over him.  
„YOU DISGUSTING JERK!"  
„YOU'LL LEARN TO LEAVE US ALONE!"  
„No, please… I'm sorry, NO!"  
Wilt closed his eyes as several punches hit his cheeks. Then he felt a hand grabbing one of his antenna-like eyes and pulling it hard. He screamed in pain and the world darkened for his left eye.  
Then a greater pain. Harder. He felt them pulling strong at his left arm… stronger… more hands… harder…  
A loud **_RIP_**, along with the sound of bones cracking. His scream in pain.

_YOU WON'T PLAY BASKETBALL ANY MORE._

He found himself lying in the bushes, the basketball field empty, a large mark of blood in the middle of it. He felt his life energy flowing off him along with his blood, coming from where his left arm used to be.

He closed his eyes, well, his one good one, and whispered „Kevin…" as he waited to die there, stranded and alone.

_**- The meeting that has changed Wilt's life -**_

On the edge of unconsciousness, Wilt could hear a girl's voice.  
„Oh, my goodness! Blood!"  
He heard the frush of the bushes, then another scream. He looked up with his last strenght and saw the face of a teenage girl with shoulder-lenght dark brown hair and intense black eyes.  
„Oh, dear! You need help! Help _now!_"  
He felt something heavy slam on the stump of his left arm.  
„Good, I hope this will stop the bleeding."  
Then something soft, like a handkerchief, cleaning his face from the blood coming from all the small wounds.  
„Hello…? Are you still awake…?"  
He winced and moaned.  
„Come on, we don't live too far from here…"  
He felt someone was trying to pull him away. He was too weak to oppose any resistance,and couldn't even think clearly from the loss of blood.  
„Oh, you're pretty heavy! Come on, please… try to walk…"  
He tried to move his legs. Slowly, shakily.  
„Thanks… good… come with me…"  
He felt he was going somewhere… then everything went black.

He woke up in a bed after a few hours. Looking around, he found himself in a pretty room, with calming lavender wallpaper, his sheets and pillows were clearly freshly washed, he could see a cute wardrobe, some vases with flowers, and a long, full bookcase. It was all so calming.

„Oh, you're awake!" the door opened and the teenage girl from before entered. She looked of around 14, and was pretty lovely for her age.  
„Here, I brought you some warm milk and an applecake. That'll make you feel better… euh… sorry, I don't know your name."  
„Wilt…" he whispered.  
„Oh, and I am Sophie Lilian Westlane. Call me Sophie. This is my room in our home."  
Wilt's eyes filled with tears as he reached for the applecake. No, this all had to be a dream. How could someone be so unselfish to help him?  
Sophie seemed to have sensed his thoughts, as she answered right now.  
„That gang of guys is just horrible. I met them while going to the park to read on my favourite bench. They were laughing about how did they just «teach the right way» to someone. And… I know how it is for an imaginary friend. I recently lost mine. Oh, and… this book saved your life."  
She showed up a thick novel, which middle pages were all bloodied. She must have opened it and closed it heavily on Wilt's arm.

Wilt found himself still too weak, as he dropped the piece of applecake he picked up.  
„Sssh" Sophie sat on the side of the bed „let me help you…"  
While she carefully fed him, she kept on talking. He didn't mind; he always used to listen to others.  
„My parents are both at the hospital now, my mother is supposed to give birth to my little sister in a week. I am alone at home, since there's no school and I can keep up the house well. Oh, and I'm almost 15, and I hope to become a writer one day, you see, the several books…"

In two days, Wil recovered almost completely. Sophie and him told each other several things, and she felt sorry for him, for what he had gone through. But they both knew he couldn't stay there forever.  
Luckily, Sophie has soon found an announcement about _Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends_ – and as soon as Wilt was okay, they both walked there.

On their way, Sophie told him about her lost imaginary friend.  
„You know how much I adore stars and astronomy… and suddenly there she was, a little star. I named her after the star Betelgeuse, but she's just Bety for short. One day she was gone… oh, how I wish I could see her again!"

While Sophie and Wilt were saying their last goodbyes, suddenly a little scream of joy was heard.  
„Sophie! Sophie! SOPHIE!"  
Then a tiny (just a few inches tall) orange star with arms and legs appeared, and jumped on Sophie's lap."  
„BETY!"  
„I went out at night to gaze at my brothers and sisters, and got lost, and I was taken here, and…"  
„You'll be with me forever, from now on. Oh, Bety, this is Wilt."

„Wilt" Sophie said, hugging him as she looked up at him „remember: you were abandoned, and almost lost every hope: but you survived, and found a new home. And you made another person happy – if it wasn't for you, I would have never found my Bety again. Wilt – it can be hard now, but try always to look at the bright side of life – it will help. Wilt, remember me."

Remember me…

Remember me…

_**- End dream -**_

Wilt woke up with a start. It was dawning. He looked at the two precious things he had taken with him – the keyring had Kevin's name written on the back, and the book – it was titled „Friendship", a short story written by Sophie about Bety and her meeting with Wilt.

_To Wilt, S. L. Westlane. Bety and I will always remember you._


	6. Emotions

**Sorry, will be off in Italy, will have Internet access, but I don't think I'm gonna post . Please R&R, still have few readers :'-(. Anyway, this will have a great twist at the end!**

**- Sofia

* * *

**

„Don't tell my name around, please. I don't wanna become famous now, only when I deserve it… if I ever do."  
Wilt had promised Sophie not to tell her name, if he ever happened to tell his story… if he found someone he could trust. And he kept his promise. He simply called her _the young girl who saved my life_.  
As he read through the pages of _Friendship_, he felt some warmth around his heart. He remembered her lovely, intense black eyes. Since those things happened to him, he just couldn't get used to the idea of getting adopted by someone. Mr. Herriman's words. He undoubtedly will be abandoned again… and he knew he wouldn't be able to go thorugh it all again. Unless if it was Sophie, but she had Bety, and, since the little star has never returned to Foster's, Wilt knew she must have been still with her creator. Lucky little Betelgeuse…  
Wilt laid his head against the wall and looked up at the dawning sky. He thought about the only case someone had adopted him… Shaula. Disguised as a human. But when he looked into her eyes, he just couldn't opposed any resistance. Maybe… those eyes. They were the same black as Sophie's. Shaula somehow reminded him of her.

Almost no one at Foster's, apart from Shaula and Duchess, had slept that night.  
Next morning, without Wilt, it all just felt so empty. Shaula seemed undisturbed, though.  
„Shaula…" began Eduardo.  
„Huh?" she asked, without even looking up from her bowl of cereal.  
„Wilt…"  
„He'll be back, don't worry!"  
_He'll never be back_, she thought, leaning down to hide the red glow in her eyes.

At 3 o'clock, Mac arrived as usual.  
„Bloo, tell me the truth." he handed him the newspaper.  
„It was not me, Mac! I always put _myself_ on the front page!"  
„Hm, that's reasonable… hey, Bloo! Where's everybody?"  
„Ed and Coco went out to search for Wilt"  
„When, Bloo?"  
„About 6 or 7 hours ago…"

_Two more out_, thought Shaula, up in her now empty room, eyes glowing red.

„And what about the others?" asked Mac „I can't hear anyone!"  
„I don't know… I heard the door opening and closing sometimes, but I've been upstairs…"  
Bloo, for the first time, started to get really worried… and not for himself.

_The domino effect_, grinned Shaula evilly.

As Sheila arrived home, her mom welcomed her with fantastic news.  
„NO! Mom, is that true?" her eyes shone brightly as she smiled truly and happily.  
„Yes, yes, Shee. And get ready: I'll need some help in cooking this afternoon!"

„Here, I brought you something to eat" Terrence opened the wardrobe's door and handed Shaula a plate of cookies.  
„Why don't you just starve me to death?" she looked up, deep sorrow in her eyes.  
Terrence was left speechless.  
„Why, Terrence, why? Why do you obey Sheila as if she was a goddess?"  
„She loves me!"  
„She doesn't, I can assure you of that."  
„Shut up!" Terrence slammed the door of the wardrobe.  
Shaula sighed heavily, tears in her eyes, and, since one of her arms was tied more loosely than the other, she slowly began to nibble at a cookie. Her heart was so heavy. _Wilt…_

Somewhere in the city, a 29-year-old woman has just exited a bookshop. She had neck-lenght dark brown hair and intense black eyes. As soon as she was outside, a small orange star jumped out her handbag and climbed on her shoulder.  
„I'm so tired, Bety" the woman said, stretching „we should really go home now."  
„Yes, yes, Sophie! I'm sure your mom will make our favourite!"  
The woman smiled, and began walking, passing by a huge poster and some signs pointing towards the bookshop, all saying:  
_S. L. Westlane in her home town! Tomorrow she'll sign her new novel, **A home for my dreams**! After two best-sellers, we hope this will be a great success as well!_

Sheila, dressed much more elegantly than usual (dark blue T-shirt, a purple skirt and her hair in a ponytail with a ribbon), kept on cracking her knuckles impatiently.  
„It's almost time, oh dear! When…"  
That exact moment the bell rang.  
Sheila ran there at the speed of light.  
In the doorway stood the person Sheila loved the most in the whole world, truly and unselfishly. It didn't matter she kept her imaginary friend, and that she had to move, their bond remained still close. Sophie Lilian Westlane.

Sheila hugged her tight.  
„You're home! Oh my dear! Sophie! Sophie!"  
„Oh, Shee, I'm so happy to see you again, _my dear little sister_!"

* * *

**I tried my best not to make Sophie a Mary-Sue. Did I succeed?**


	7. Broken

**Okay, sorry for the long wait!

* * *

**

_To Sheila, my dear little sister, as always_

Sophie had printed these words on the inside page of her new novel. She always dedicated them to Sheila… she loved her so much. They had so many memories…

_4-year-old Sheila Westlane was sitting in her 19-year-old sister's lap, holding a book of fairy tales._  
„_Oh, Sophie, Sophie, how I'd love a fairy of my own! I wish I was a fairy"_  
„_Let me help, Shee."_  
„_Here, it's done." Sophie handed her sister a portrait of her, just with wings and antennas._  
„_Oh, how sweet! I'll colour it later. You know so lovely star names… how would you name a fairy?"_  
„_Hmm… yes! I think I'd go for…_  
…_**Shaula**._

„Now, Shee, I don't think you should come for the dedication this morning. They will chase you! And at school…"  
Sheila immediately surrendered. The face of a bully flashed in her mind. _Oh, you think you're so cool just 'cause your sister's famous!_ She won't let that happen to her.

Sheila and Bety laid on the bed together.  
„Shee! Where's Shaula?" asked suddenly the tiny star.  
„Um…" Sheila began to feel awkward „…I let her go. She wanted to be free."  
„Liar Shee!"  
„No! Oh, okay… I left her at Foster's home. She needs a new life now… I was in her way. She's a teenager like me now…"  
„Um" Bety jumped on Sheila's chest „now, let we speak of something else…"  
_Terrence…_, thought Sheila. She had to check later that afternoon.

„Oh, so where's your _beloved Sheila…?_" asked Shaula, still tied up inside Terrence's wardrobe.  
„Shut up…" growled Terrence.  
Shaula swung her feelers around. She sensed something… something that Terrence really wanted…  
„Come on, come on…" she whispered to herself, hoping she could feel more clearly. She peered out of the wardrobe, trying to find a clue. There was a photograph on his bedside table. She couldn't help but grin when she saw it. Sheila was staring horrfied at the camera while Terrence was embracing her from behind. He had a passerby to take the photo.  
Then she suddenly got it. _Sheila's eyes!_  
„Terrence, I'm thirsty, will you give me some water…?"

The other Shaula at Foster's suddenly rose her feelers, her eyes flashed red. She felt danger approaching…

„Terrence…" said Shaula in a deeper tone, staring into the boy's eyes. He couldn't help. He couldn't turn away. Those intense black eyes…  
„No… no!" he said weakly „Sheila…"  
„Sheila, Sheila…" repeated Shaula, with a hypnotic gaze „set me free, Sheila won't know for now…"  
Terrence gulped. Then he slowly leant down…

„Free…" Shaula jumped up and down, and swung her finally untied arms „Terrence… you're the best!"  
She kissed him on the cheek and left the house in a hurry.  
Terrence collapsed on the bed, caressing that particular spot on his left cheek. He was still in a daze. He hardly understood what had just happened…

„Frankie… I'm going for a walk" said Shaula, and ran out of Foster's home. She had just turned round the corner when the real Shaula appeared on the other end of the street.

„Who's that now…" Sheila sighed as she heard the doorbell ring. Her jaw dropped. Shaula stood there, eyes glowing red.  
„Get out, get out, before Bety sees you!" and she pushed the fairy on the street „Bye, I'm coming later!"

Frankie was just wondering whether Shaula did say the truth or actually went in search of Wilt when the doorbell rang.  
„I'm coming!"  
There was… Shaula. Panting and a dark fire burning in her eyes.  
„Shaula…! Man, that was fast!"  
„Where's Wilt?" the fairy asked.  
„Gone… Shaula! But you were here… wait…"  
„That was not me! Where's the other Shaula?"  
„What do you mean with _other Shaula_? Sorry, I don't get it…"  
„Oh, man! I'll explain later!" and Shaula slammed the door. She had to find Wilt.

„What do you mean _Shaula has been freed_!" Sheila couldn't believe her ears, as she sat with the other Shaula in a hidden corner of the nearby park.  
„I have no idea" she shrugged her shoulders.  
„Anyway, get back to Foster's now. If she's there, find a way to get rid of her. I have a little speech with someone else…"

„TERRENCE!"  
„Sh-Sheila…" the boy backed away.  
Sheila pushed him apart and tore open the wardrobe door. It was completely empty.  
„WHERE. IS. THAT. STUPID. FAIRY!"  
„I… I…" Terrence stammered.  
„IDIOT!"

Mac arrived home holding the new novel of one of his favourite writers, when he heard crashes and screams from Terrence's room. Was he smashing everything once again…?He took a peek inside… and stood, as if frozen there, in the doorway. A girl, who showed an uncanny resemblance of Shaula t. J. F., was pinning his brother down on his bed, and hitting him so hard as if he was a punchbag. The drawers and the wardrobe had been all emptied, their contents thrown all over the floor, Terrence's table lamp smashed, a vase broken, the discs thrown all over the pavement…

A couple of minutes later, Sheila stood up victorious.  
„I have no idea why did I waste my precious time in _faking feelings _for such a **stupid, worthless, ugly, pimply, terrible, stupid idiot like you!**  
And with this she threw the framed photograph on the floor and stepped on it, breaking the glass.  
„That's what I think."

And she left, without noticing Mac hidden behind the door.

Terrence whined, slipped off the blood-stained sheets and fell on the pavement. He didn't care for his wounds, his blood now dripping also on the rug…

His heart was where the real damage had been done.


	8. The meeting

**Okay, sorry for the long wait, here's the new chapter!

* * *

**  
Shaula ran around town, without bothering about the many little girls who pointed at her yelling happily „Fairy! Fairy!", and pushing away quite harshly the other ones who asked her for the three wishes. She tried to move her wings to fly, but no avail. She just hoped not to run into a whole kindergarten on a trip.  
„Come on, come on!" she rose her antennas, hoping to sense where to search for Wilt.

„Where were you, Shee?" Bety jumped on her chest.  
„Went to see a…" she bit her lip „…a friend."

„Phew, so we're over this" Sophie sat down on a bench in the park „Bety!"

„Time to go!" said the little star to Sheila, and shot off. She could become a shooting star whenever she wanted.

Sheila stood up and… just couldn't move. There was something heavy on her heart. The fact she had beaten up Terrence so badly? No way, _he deserved it…_But it had something to do with that. No, Shaula loose around town was the last of her worries. Something different. Something else. A feeling… she knew it was there before, buit never cared too much. Only now it was becoming painful, unbearable… Just that she couldn't get the point. Guilt? Anger? Worry? Hatred? Sadness? What could it be?

Wilt, hungry, thirsty and weak, slowly walked out from the narrow dead end and wandered along silent, lonely streets, grasping tightly the keyring and the small novel. In the end he got to the park, just to get some sips of water from a fountain. Suddenly voices got his attention. He quickly hid in the bushes, as the last thing he wanted to encounter was some helpful pal bringing him back to Foster's.

„Oh Bety, remember how we loved sitting here when younger?"  
_Bety…?_  
Wilt's eye peered from behind the bush. He could see a young woman cradling a small star. _That voice…_  
„Yes, yes, Sophie! When we came to read here, beside the fountain!"  
_Sophie…!_  
„That always used to inspire me. What if I get an idea for my new novel right now?"  
Wilt was about to stand up, but thought it through. Even if it was the same Sophie, she must have already forgotten him. _Bety and I will always remember you…_  
These words, written inside the cover of the tiny novel. Wilt forced himself to believe they were true. In the end, he got out of the bushes and took all his courage.  
„Excuse me, madam…?"

In the meantime, Shaula entered the park from another direction, hoping to find Wilt or maybe other lost imaginary friends. _Just no kindergarten children…_

„Wait…" Sophie and Bety both narrowed their eyes the same way.  
Wilt leant his head down. So she has forgotten him.  
„I'm sorry madam, I'm on my way now…"  
„OH MY GOD!" Sophie jumped up and clapped her hands, making the two novels she was holding fall on the gravel „WILT! WILT! WILT! SO MANY YEARS…"  
She hugged him tight and pulled up to kiss him on the cheek.  
„WILT! WILT!" Sophie was screaming louder than the alarm of a bank. So Shaula didn't need her feelers at all to find them.  
„And how's your life these days? Have a new owner?" Sophie wiped away tears of joy „oh, I'd have never thought we'd ever meet again!"  
Wilt hugged her too, while Bety, squealing, was dancing on his head.  
„Wilt! Sophie! Bety!"  
The three stopped and turned towards the voice. It was Shaula.  
„Oh, Shaula!" Sophie clapped her hands again „I meet all my dearest imaginary friends the same day! Wilt, this is… Wilt…?"  
Wilt turned around and ran.  
„Oh, no! Wilt, it wasn't me, I swear! Sorry, Sophie, I've heard you're in town, but now…" Shaula began running after him.  
„Hold on, hold on!" but Shaula didn't pay attention to Sophie.

„Terrence… are you all right?"  
Mac still couldn't get a word out of him. He stayed silent ever since Sheila had left. He let Mac clean his wounds, put his sheets in the washing machine, make him sit in front of the TV, switching on _The Loved and The Loveless_, all without saying a word, an expression of deep sorrow on his face. Sometimes a couple of tears ran down his cheeks, but no sound was heard. Terrence was completely in shock.

_Come on!_ Shaula had to try it. She had to reach Wilt. _Please!_  
She tried it again. Harder. With all her will… all her heart… it was her only wish.  
„Oh dear…!" escaped her lips as her wings began to move and she took off the ground…  
„WILT!" in the end she reached him and grabbed his shoulders.  
„I'm sorry, Shaula, let me go!"  
„Never! Oh, no!" Shaula's wings cracked and she fell, right on Wilt's back.  
_They're still too weak…_  
The next moment Sophie and Bety got to them.  
„What's going on here?" she asked „now, sit down and tell me!"  
Wilt reluctantly sat on the bench. Shaula walked there slowly, massaging her wings.  
„Oh, for goodness, what happened to your feelers? And your wrists! And… Shaula, your wings!"  
„Euh… I fell down the stairs!"  
„_Hundreds of times?_" Sophie raised her eyebrows.  
„Do you know her?" asked Wilt.  
„Well, of course I do!" smiled Sophie „_she's my sister Sheila's imaginary friend!_ And now, you two… what was all this?"  
Wilt stared frozen at Sophie, who, luckily enough, that moment just leant forward to pick Bety up.  
Shaula took his hand, and shook her head, as her lips moved.  
„Don't tell her… don't tell her…"

* * *

**Hope you liked it :-)**

**- Sofia**


	9. Take me home

**Sorry for the long wait, my exams kept me down. Here goes the new chapter!

* * *

**

„Wilt, what was your problem with Shaula? She's one of the nicest people… euh, I mean, _imaginary friends_ I know!"  
Wilt shrugged. He thought it was a matter between him and Shaula, nothing of Sophie's business.  
„It's something between me and Wilt, Sophie" Shaula bowed her head. She felt tears apparoaching; she just couldn't give Sheila away. But through all these years of protecting her ex-owner, she was about to break up.  
„Well, you two certainly make an odd, but really sweet couple!"  
„NO!" screamed Shaula. Sophie stared at her in shock, then placed a hand on her shoulder.  
„Oh, please… hush, I was joking!"  
Shaula slowly shook her head. Memories flooded back in her mind. Sheila saying _your boyfriend… that big red jerk of your boyfriend…  
_„Shaula!" Sophie grabbed both her shoulders „but you're crying!"  
It was the crucial moment. The moment Shaula t. J. F. broke up inside.  
„Sheila! It was Sheila!" and she fell crying desperately in Sophie's arms.

Sheila walked up to the bathroom sink and washed her face, trying to get rid of that stupid feeling. It wasn't guilt, sorrow, or anything like that. She looked at herself in the mirror, still sensing some kind of strange pain near her heart.

An hour later, Sophie slammed open the door and walked inside with banging steps.  
„Shee!"  
Silence.  
„SHEE!"  
„I'm here!" she exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her, her hair wet „I'm just coming from the bathtub… how did the dedication went? Hey!"  
Sophie grabbed Sheila's arm and pulled her to her room.  
„Sophie!" screamed Sheila „I thought we stated clearly that none of us enters the other one's room without permission… when we were younger…"  
Sophie let Sheila fall back on the bed, then opened the wardrobe. There, she picked up Sheila's jump rope.  
Sheila was left breathless as Sophie lifted it up. The blood traces on it were quite evident; she had used it to tie Shaula down.  
„Sophie, I…"  
„Shee." and Sophie exited the room. Bety was staring shocked.

An hour later, she left town to continue her dedicating tour.

Sheila, curled up in an angle of her bed, wept silently hugging a pillow. For Shaula, it was guilt. But the other feeling…? The Terrence-related one?

„Hi, mom!" said Mac as Mom arrived.  
„Hello, mommy" Terrence showed a half smile as he spoke for the first time that evening, though his voice was still steady, colourless.  
Wilt walked back to Foster's that afternoon. As the imaginary friends surrounded him, he said only one thing:

„Yes, that's my story, but it's over now for 15 years. No need to talk about it any more. What we need to do now is search for our lost fellow friends. Oh, Shaula!"  
The fairy came out of the room and looked at him.  
„Fake" he said „I'm sorry. You're not Shaula, and that is not okay."  
Suddenly her eyes flashed red.  
„I'm here, right behind you!" Shaula, the real one, flew in from the open window.  
„What…? Why…? I…? SHEILA!" screamed the fake Shaula, eyes glowing red more and more brightly.

As for that call, the doorbell rang. Standing there was no one else but Sheila.  
„Shaula!" she called out. The two fairies walked down the stairs together.  
„What do you want?" asked one of them, arms crossed.  
„Sheila, finally!" the other one ran to her.  
As Wilt appeared, his arm on his hip, Sheila gulped.  
„I wanna take her home" she hugged the Shaula that ran to her „please."  
„Sheila, I hope you understand taking her home and maybe treat her better or anything won't set things right between us" said the other fairy.  
Sheila bowed her head, and walked slowly to Mr. Herriman's office without saying a word.

* * *

**Sorry if it was short or anything, the story's finale is about to come in a few chapters - and that one will be long!**


	10. Double chapter 1

**Okay, in this story, there were meant to be 4 chapters left, titled: Fairy Squad; Sheila's response; Merry Christmas; Epilogue.**

**But, since I was so cruel to make you wait for who knows how long, I'll post the 4 chapters in pairs. So here you go, with Fairy Squad/Sheila's response!Song lyrics are from Avril Lavigne's _Take me away_ and _Together_.**  
**

* * *

**  
„No one could sense things as good as you used to, Shaula" said Wilt.  
„I know, I know" answered the fairy, caressing her feelers nervously „but miracles don't happen just like that!"  
Though Frankie had already left with the bus and Mac, Bloo and other imaginary friends were out on the streets, finding Eduardo and Coco turned out to be more difficult than it seemed.  
„And my wings are still broken" concluded Shaula, sighing deeply.

Meanwhile, Sheila and Shaula 2 were slowly walking towards home.  
„What have I done…" whispered the girl.  
„It's okay, Sheila."  
„No, it's not! Look, can't you sometimes just say what you really think, not only assure me that I'm right?"  
„I'm all yours, Sheila."  
She sighed heavily. It was all her fault. She was in need of a friend, not a servant, but it was her to change the original Shaula and make this evil copy…  
„Wait a second!" suddenly she stopped.  
„Sheila, I sense an idea!"  
„Come!" and Sheila turned around, pulling Shaula 2 with her towards Foster's home.

Suddenly the doorbell rang. Wilt opened – to see no one else but a girl they all knew well.  
„Hey there" said Shaula, who just got down the stairs „who are you?"  
Sheila noticed the door left open and entered just ten seconds later. But both Wilt and Shaula were too busy to pay any attention to her.  
„Wowafairyarealfairy!NowthatIseeyou… whatifyouwereblondeand…"  
Shaula watched in astonishment as a blonde copy of her appeared.  
„…andhadamagicwand…"  
Another blonde Shaula holding a magic wand showed up.  
„…andstraightwingsstraighfeelers…"  
„No, no!" Shaula went red „oh dear, Wilt, do something, make her stop!"  
„This is awesome!" screamed Sheila, staring at Goo.  
„Sheila, get out!" shouted Shaula, making her way between a red-haired fairy with a long white dress and a blue-haired one in a pink swimsuit and sunglasses.  
„No, look at them! Shaula, I swear, I'm not here to make trouble!"  
„Sheila, really, I…" Shaula pushed apart a 10-feet tall baby-faced purple creature with airplane-like wings „AAARGH! MAKE HER STOP!"  
„Why?" Goo winked and turned her head aside „andwhataboutangelwingsand…"  
„Stooop!" shouted Sheila the exact moment Wilt managed to make Goo pause for a second.  
„Sheila, what do you want?" Shaula stepped in front of a green-skinned pixie with orange hair and dragonfly-like wings.  
„Don't you see? I just brought her along to help" she pointed at Shaula 2 „but I see this nice girl has already done it all!"  
By then, they could hardly stand between all the fairies filling the foyer.

„Understand?" Shaula, as a captain, walked in front of her copies „now, you know what to do!"  
It was truly an breathtaking scene, seeing dozens of fairies taking flight at the same time.  
„Thank you SO much!" Shaula embraced Goo happily.  
Sheila bowed her head and smiled. She knew she had somehow repaired at least a bit of all the damage she had done. She took Shaula 2's hand and went home.

„Still no sign of them…" Frankie kept on driving, becoming more and more nervous with each second passing „hey, wait a minute! What was that…?"  
A fast shadow flew over the bus.  
„Shaula…? But no, it cannot be!"

Eduardo was just drying his tears with a tissue coming out of one of Coco's eggs, when a strange flying creature appeared over the narrow dead end they were hiding in.  
„Aah! Scary! No kill me!" Eduardo hid behind Coco as it landed. It was a robot with glowing blue eyes, angel-like wings and metallic hair.  
„Eduardo and Coco?" she asked.  
„Coco coco!"  
„Perfect! Stay here!"

**_WELCOME BACK SHAULA, WILT, COCO AND ED! _**said the banner hanging over the foyer, as Foster's home was celebrating.

Frankie, who had just finished filing for all the new fairies, clapped her hands smiling. Goo, as the celebrity guest, finally decided not to create more friends for that day, danced with Mac and Bloo. Coco was back to her usual self, only that she lay more eggs than normally, and Ed was simply happy to be back.  
Shaula, after those two long weeks of sorrow, sat tiredly in Wilt's arms.  
Everything was OK again, and, as for all the other Shaulas, as children really like fairies, it was sure they were going to be adopted in no time.

But, back at the Westlane home, there was still something to be done.

It was December, and Sheila watched sadly the snow falling. Everything was white and cold, and she still couldn't shake off that weird feeling. It attacked her raging each time she saw Terrence at school, though they haven't said a single word to each other since the day she had beaten him up and broken his heart.  
It was time to move on, do something, she knew it.

_I cannot find a way to describe it  
It's there inside, all I do is hide  
I wish that it would just go away  
What would you do, you do if you knew?  
What would you do?_

After school, she ran to Terrence, who was silently walking on the street.  
„Terrence, wait!" she shouted after him.  
He stopped and slowly turned around.  
„Terrence!"  
Icy silence.  
„Terrence, I…"  
He suddenly winced and ran away.  
Sheila slowly reached out… then her arm fell. It was beyond repair now.  
She was lonely, left alone, though some forgotten feelings rose inside her again… She locked her arms around herself and cried silently, her sincere, warm tears falling in the snow, melting it. Terrence. He just kept on appearing in her thoughts all the time.

_All the pain I thought I knew  
All the thoughts lead back to you  
Back to what was never said  
Back and forth inside my head  
I can't handle this confusion, I'm unable  
Come and take me away… _

„What's happening to me?" she asked Shaula 2, as she lay on her bed.  
„Look, Sheila, I really have no idea… sometimes, we just don't understand what we are feeling."

The next day, Sheila tried once again to speak to Terrence, this time blocking him in a dead end.  
„Please, Terrence… listen to me…"  
„NO!"  
And he escaped once again.  
Sheila laid her head agains the wall and cried.

_I feel like I, I'm all alone  
All by myself, I need to get around this  
My words are cold, I don't want them to hurt you  
If I showed you, I don't think you'd understand_  
'_Cause no one understands…!_

Even herself. She couldn't understand.

There were three days left for the great Christmas party at the school. Then, the holidays…  
Something had to be done. And soon.  
Sheila was just reaching in her drawer for her Chemistry book when she found a small, tattered piece of paper. As she unfolded it, her eyes filled with tears. _It was Terrence's poem._  
It was full of mistakes, and had really poor vocabulary as well, but, she noticed only now, it was sweet, and sincere. She needed to answer him.  
But first she took out a new, shining white sheet, and rewrote his poem correcting it. Then wrote her own under it.

**Sheila my dear**

_You look as a goddess  
You make my heart beat fast  
I feel the love inside  
When you look into my eyes  
It's beautiful you spend time with me_  
'_Cause you're the loveliest girl I see  
You and I can be together  
That makes me feel so much better  
And you're the one of my dreams  
Be with me, Sheila my dear!_

_- with love, Terrence_

**Forgive me**

_Your words feel so warm  
When I re-read them, on and on  
And now I understand what you mean  
When you tell me how you feel  
I would never, ever hurt you again  
Since I lost you, there's nothing but rain  
Just tell me, looking into my eyes  
What do you think now, I'm not telling lies  
And here's all I want to hear:  
That, Terrence, you have forgiven me._

_- apprensively, Sheila_

Not the best rhymes, but who cares?  
Sheila folded the paper and put it in her bag.  
No, Terrence would never forgive her beating him to a pulp that dark Autumn day. What was in her mind…? Destroying Foster's, using a poor naive boy as a simple „instrument"? Oh, Terrence…

_My heart is broken  
I'm lying here  
My thoughts are choking  
On you, my dear…  
On you, my dear…  
On you, my dear…_

_

* * *

_**Hope it was worth the wait!**

**- Sofia xxx **_  
_


	11. Finale

„Shee, you'll just be perfect!" said Sophie „come on, you have to go! I used to love these parties when I was little…"  
„Oh, Sophie… when _you_ were little…"  
„Go. Meanwhile, I'll go and take a look at Foster's. Kevin!" thus, Sophie called her fiancé. They got engaged just a week before.  
„Can I go, too?" Shaula 2 said, exiting Sheila's room.  
„Wheee! Shaula 2 is comiiing!" jumped Bety.

„Shee, you're beautiful! Don't be so grumpy, okay?"  
Sheila sat in the backseat of Sophie's car, holding a box of Christmas cookies and a tiny envelope. No perfume smell this time.  
„Have a good time!" Sophie let her out „and Shee, try not to be a snobbish outcast by leaving out these parties, okay? Bye!"

Sheila, still not too happy about the whole thing, entered the school, where the Christmas party had just started. Though she was dressed in a long, dark pink dress, with big earrings, hair tied up artistically and all, and as much she used to love being the centre of attention, now she'd have given anything just to be elsewhere. Forcing a smile, she placed the cookies on the buffet table, and, ignoring the boys asking her to dance, she sat on a chair in a corner, and stared at the little envelope. She had to make a hard decision.

„Kevin!"  
„Sophie, really, as much as I love you, _imaginary friends_?"  
„Don't try to tell me you never had one!"  
„It's not that! I… yes, I used to… but…" Kevin winced.  
„Kevin, come on! Pleeease!"  
„Sophie, the party…"  
„I'm not here to party at Foster's! I just want to give these Christmas cookies and say hi to my friends in there!"  
Kevin sighed and followed her.

Obviously, Terrence too had noticed Sheila, who was truly amazing that night. But he avoided looking at her. He still couldn't get over it.

Sheila caught a moment when Terrence was not looking, and slipped the envelope inside his winter cap, hanging beside his coat. He had to notice it before leaving the party.

Back at Foster's, everyone was busy decorating the house.  
„Wilt!" shouted Shaula „here are all these candles and glass balls, I can't reach the higher levels of the tree, will you… oh. Hi there, Sophie! Who's him?"  
„This is Kevin!" and Sophie showed up her engagement ring „he's a famous basketball player. We're just here to wish all of you merry Christmas, and give these cookies."  
„Basketball?" Shaula put down the decorations „ooh, I know someone you'll like! WILT!"  
Kevin suddenly shivered as he heard the name.  
„What's wrong?" asked Sophie.  
Wilt walked down the stairs bringing some candy canes.  
„I'm here, Shaula, just brought these…"  
That moment he saw Kevin. They held each other's stare for a couple of seconds.  
„What's happened to you, Wilt…?" whispered Kevin, tears already running down his face.  
„Kevin…?" Wilt dropped the candy canes.

Sheila really started to get bored. The boys drooling after her were annoying, the girls giving her jealous looks too, and Terrence never seemed to look in the right direction.  
Then suddenly her heart jumped. Terrence walked to the coats and hats, ready to leave. He first tried to put his hat on, when something fell out of it. _The envelope_.

„I guess they'll have plenty of things to talk about" sighed Sophie „that's when I say it was destiny…"  
Shaula smiled, the heart on her chest started to glow.  
„Ah… uhm… Shaula?" she asked Shaula 2 „I still can't fly good enough. Will you help me decorating the tree?"  
„Sure, no problem!" Shaula 2's eyes flashed red, then the heart on her chest glew of a pale pink, as she took off to hang the candy canes and glass balls.

Terrence winced as he read the 2 poems. Then he suddenly dropped the paper and his hat, and ran towards the exit.  
„Terrence!" Sheila jumped up and ran after him.

„Goodbye!"  
„Sophie…" Kevin took her hands „did you really…?"  
„Yes… I saved Wilt's life 15 years ago. Shaula!"  
„Yes?" both fairies appeared at the door.

„Terrence!" Sheila stopped him just at the door.  
She just opened her mouth when applause and cheering came from the room. She looked up and saw the reason: they were standing _under the mistletoe_…  
„Kiss! Kiss!" shouted everyone.  
Boys started to envy Terrence, while girls didn't envy Sheila at all.  
Terrence wasn't looking happy at all: in fact, he seemed to loathe Sheila that moment, there and then.  
Sheila blushed, closed her eyes, gently placed her hands on his shoulders and gave him a tender lip kiss.  
Silence fell in the room as they parted. A second later, Terrence turned around and ran off into the night.  
„Terrence!" Sheila immediately ran after him, without caring about the muttering in the room, like _What? Why does she care about him…?_

„Kevin, just…" Wilt arrived at the door.  
„Ooh!" said Shaula 2.  
„What?"  
„Look where you're standing!"  
„Oh, man! Please!" Shaula shook her head „not the mistletoe!"  
„Kiss!" cheered Sophie, Kevin and Shaula 2.  
Wilt took Shaula in his arm and lifted her up.  
„No… please…" she said, and quickly gave him a kiss on the cheek „okay. That was enough."

„Terrence!" she finally reached him in the middle of an open, snowy field.  
He just stood there, staring at her, with an inexpressive face.  
„I…" she began, but stopped. She couldn't decide what to say.  
She moved a step forward, but her high-heeled shoes, already pretty buried in the snow, slipped and she fell to her knees. Trying to get up, her hands almost froze when she put them down. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. Then Terrence gave her his hand, helping her to stand up.

Sophie, Kevin and Shaula 2 soon left.  
„Wilt… I"m sorry" said Shaula.  
„For what?" he smiled at her, while they kept on hanging decorations.  
„You know… it's not that I don't like you, just…"  
„It's okay, Shaula, don't worry!"  
Shortly after, they went outside to put on the Christmas lights. As it was done, Shaula turned to Wilt and took his hand.  
„Friends forever?"  
„Friends forever."  
„Wilt! By the way, I still have that adoption certificate! No one can adopt you, 'cause you're ALL MINE!"  
She hugged him.

Sheila and Terrence stood there a while, holding hands.

„I'd better call Shee…" Sophie quickly dialed her number.

_Ring!  
_„Oh! I'm sorry!" Sheila answered the phone.  
As she told Sophie to pick her up at the school in a while, Terrence, unnoticed, scribbled something in the snow with his foot. By the time Sheila turned back to him and hung up, he was gone.  
„Oh, no!" she was near to despair when she noticed some writing in the snow.  
_FORRGIVAN.  
_„Woohooo!" Sheila laughed happily, and threw herself back in the snow. She didn't feel the cold any more.

**Epilogue**

Now, 3 months from the events, everything is back to normality again.

Shaula's and Wilt's friendship seems to be incredibly strong. The fairy now is quite popular among the friends of Foster's, as she's kind and helpful, just like her best friend. Even Bloo seems to have accepted her finally.

About Sheila and Terrence, they're not a couple yet. But they're talking to each other again, and a friendship is slowly building. Sheila has actually helped him sometimes with his homework, and they had a gigantic snowball fight the first day of school.

And, yes, in case you were wondering, Sheila caught a terrible cold that Christmas night. But it didn't matter – she thinks it was her happiest Christmas ever. She began to feel some long forgotten feelings again: love, friendship, inner peace.

And both Shaula and Sheila are happy this way.

**THE END**


End file.
